i know you guys are sick of homework questions, but.. - Help.com

none

In that equation, i would say, none

Keep in mind I’m terrible at numbers and I’m not sure what the ^ stands for. But if I’m right in thinking it means multiplication…..The parentheses make no difference.

the ^ means that its an exponent.

Ah, still…

i put it through a calculator and (-6)^-4 is positive, and-6^-4 is negative. I don’t know why though..

because the -4 in the equation with brackets is applied to -6….
the -4 in the equation without the brackets is applied to 6, and then that answer is multiplied by the ‘-’ (-1).

oh, my brain!?! I hated that craFT….. I see that old age just confirms my opinion. It still sucks.

(-6)^-4
vs
-6^-4

well for starters if its to a negative you flip it. basically make it 1 over the number and switch the -4 to plus 4

so
1/[(-6)^4] and
1/[-6^4]

if there is no parenthesis then you imply its only on the 6.

1/[(-6)(-6)(-6)(-6)]
and 1/-[6*6*6*6]

The top problem would end positive(negative times negative=pos, times neg=neg times neg=pos)

and the bottom problem would be negative.

so a neg X a neg is a positive, and you do that twice (for the one with the bracket)? and that’s bc the bracket means the neg. is with the 6 all 4 times?

so in the question:
1/[(-6)(-6)(-6)(-6)
^ X ^ = +
and

1/[(-6)(-6)(-6)(-6)
^ X ^ = +

so it’s 1/ 36 x 36?
———————–
and then the one without the bracket is negative bc the neg. goes with the first 6 and not with the other three 6s? so you have -6 X 6 X 6 X 6? and since there is only one neg the answer is neg? (for the one without a bracket)

and in
1/[-6 X 6 X 6 X 6]
^ X ^ = -

and 1/[-6 X 6 X 6 X 6]
^ X ^ = +

so one pos and one neg = a neg?

and it would be 1/ -36 X 36?

Did I get that right? Maybe it isn’t that complicated……hmmmmm…..

let me do a quick read

I left spaces, instead of dots so it looks wrong. I’ll try again.

so a neg X a neg is a positive, and you do that twice (for the one with the bracket)? and that’s bc the bracket means the neg. is with the 6 all 4 times?

so in the question:
1/[(-6)(-6)(-6)(-6)
….^ X ^ = +
and

1/[(-6)(-6)(-6)(-6)
………….^ X ^ = +

so for the one with brackets the answer is the same as 1/ 36 x 36?

———————–
and then the one without the bracket is negative bc the neg. goes with the first 6 and not with the other three 6s? so you have -6 X 6 X 6 X 6? and since there is only one neg the answer is neg? (for the one without a bracket)

and in
1/[-6 X 6 X 6 X 6]
….^ X ^ = -

and 1/[-6 X 6 X 6 X 6]
…………….^ X ^ = +

so one pos and one neg = a neg?

and for the one without braxkets would be 1/ -36 X 36?

Did I get that right? Maybe it isn’t that complicated……hmmmmm…..

the one with the parenthesis is positive because that. the one with (-6) would be 36*36 like you said. and the one without them is minus that answer because the ^4 only applies to the 6

pos*pos=pos
pos*neg=neg
neg*neg=pos
remember the order of operations. the Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally thing.
Hope that helps. got school myself so good luck

cool, thank you.
“remember the order of operations.” Yes

“the Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally thing” what do you mean?

oh, PEMDAS I’ve never heard it said like that before. I took every course outside of the States, and not in English. I’m not even the original poster, but I’m glad that I got some cobwebs removed from my old brain.

yea. parentheses exponents, you know how it goes lol